Cable management system

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present invention that are described or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Electronic devices, such as computers, often utilize cabling systems to communicatively couple with other devices, power sources, and the like. A cabling system generally includes one or more cables that couple to a device via ports on the device. For example, a typical computer system may include a cabling system with individual ports and cables for receiving power, communicating with a network, and interfacing with any number of peripheral devices (e.g., printers, monitors, modems, and external memory devices). When a number of cables are utilized, the cables can become disorganized and unsightly. Additionally, in some situations, the cables may be susceptible to accidental disengagement from the device because they are unsecured or loosely coupled to the ports. Further, a cabling system can be a vulnerable point in device security. For example, unauthorized copying of valuable data from a computer may be facilitated by coupling an external memory to a port of the computer and copying or moving the data to the external memory via the port.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective view of a cable management system coupled to a computer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is an exploded perspective view of a cable management system, wherein a main housing and a cover of the cable management system are separated in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a perspective view of a cable management system coupled to a computer with a locking mechanism in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is a perspective view of a cable management system as an integral part of a computer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a perspective view of a cable management system coupled to a computer, wherein the cable management system is in an open configuration with a plurality of cables threaded through openings in the cable management system and a plurality of cable connectors stored in the cable management system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> is a perspective view of a portion of a cable management system illustrating the resistance to coupling of a memory device to a port covered by the cable management system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> is a perspective view of a portion of a cable management system, wherein a baffle is configurable in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

One or more exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a cable management system configured for mounting to an electronic device (e.g., a computer) or that is integral with the electronic device. The cable management system may be positioned on the electronic device proximate ports (e.g., input/output ports) of the electronic device to facilitate management of cables that couple with the ports via cable connectors. For example, in accordance with present embodiments, the cable management system includes one or more baffles that facilitate organized placement of the cables by guiding the cables over defined routes through the cable management system. This organization of the cables may improve aesthetics of the cabling system and facilitate adjustment of the cables (e.g., adding, removing, and replacing cable connections) by an authorized user. Additionally, the cable management system may operate to secure connections between the cables and the ports by providing resistance to movement of the cable connectors away from the ports. Further, the cable management system may provide security against unauthorized access to the device by blocking direct access to the ports without removal or opening of at least a portion of the cable management system.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective view of a cable management system <b>10</b> coupled to a computer <b>12</b> in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the computer <b>12</b> is shown as a thin client (e.g., a computer with relatively small dimensions that primarily utilizes a server for processing activities). However, in other embodiments, the computer <b>12</b> may include any number of electronic devices that utilize ports and/or cable connections. The computer <b>12</b> is coupled with the cable management system <b>10</b> such that the cable management system <b>10</b> covers a plurality of ports in the computer <b>12</b> that are configured to receive cable connectors. The cable management system <b>10</b> includes a first side wall <b>14</b>, a second side wall <b>16</b>, an upper wall <b>18</b>, a lower wall <b>20</b>, a plurality of baffles <b>22</b>, an upper connector tab <b>24</b>, and a lower connector tab <b>26</b>. The side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> are positioned in a substantially parallel orientation with respect one another, and the upper wall <b>18</b>, the lower wall <b>20</b>, and the plurality of baffles <b>22</b> extend between the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b>. In other words, the first side wall <b>14</b> and the second sidewall <b>16</b> are disposed opposite one another and are coupled about the upper wall <b>18</b>, the lower wall <b>20</b>, and the baffles <b>22</b>. It should be noted that a substantially parallel orientation may include an actual parallel orientation.

In accordance with some embodiments, the cable management system <b>10</b> is an assembly of two main components or parts. For example, as illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the cable management system <b>10</b> comprises a main housing <b>102</b> and an access cover <b>104</b> configured to couple with the main housing <b>102</b>. The main housing <b>102</b> comprises a single assembly piece that integrates the first side wall <b>14</b>, the upper wall <b>18</b>, the lower wall <b>20</b>, the plurality of baffles <b>22</b>, the upper connector tab <b>24</b>, and the lower connector tab <b>26</b> into one unit. The access cover <b>104</b> includes the second side wall <b>16</b> and coupling features <b>106</b> (e.g., snap fittings) configured to cooperate with corresponding coupling features <b>108</b> (e.g., snap receptacles) on the main housing <b>102</b> and/or computer <b>12</b> to hold the cable management system <b>10</b> together. When the access cover <b>104</b> is coupled to the main housing <b>102</b> in a closed position, the cable management system may resist or prevent unauthorized access to the contents of the cable management system <b>10</b>. When the access cover <b>104</b> is removed or the cable management system <b>10</b> is in an open configuration, a user can access the contents of the cable management system <b>10</b> to rearrange cables, access device ports, and so forth. In some embodiments, the cable management system <b>10</b> includes a security mechanism that, when engaged, prevents unauthorized users from disassembling or opening the cable management system <b>10</b> (e.g., removing the access cover) without a key or specialized device.

In the embodiments illustrated by <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>, the upper and lower connector tabs <b>24</b> and <b>26</b>, which are utilized to couple the cable management system <b>10</b> to the computer <b>12</b>, extend from the upper and lower walls <b>18</b> and <b>20</b>, respectively. In other embodiments, the connector tabs <b>24</b> and <b>26</b> may extend from different portions of the cable management system <b>10</b> (e.g., the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b>). Further, in some embodiments, a single connector tab may be included instead of two, or a different coupling mechanism may be employed. In the illustrated embodiment of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, the connector tabs <b>24</b> and <b>26</b> receive a pair of fasteners <b>28</b> that pass through holes in the connector tabs <b>24</b> and into receptacles in the computer <b>12</b>. The fasteners <b>28</b> may include screws, plugs, pins, latches, and so forth. Further, the fasteners <b>28</b> may be tamper resistant fasteners, such as security screws or other coupling features that prevent or resist unauthorized removal. Indeed, in some embodiments, the fasteners <b>28</b> may include or cooperate with locking devices. For example, in some embodiments, as illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, one or both of the tabs <b>24</b> and <b>26</b> may cooperate with a locking mechanism <b>202</b> that prevents users from readily accessing device ports and/or cable connectors disposed within the cable management system <b>10</b> without the use of a key that opens the locking mechanism <b>202</b>. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking mechanism <b>202</b> is coupled to the lower tab <b>26</b> and a lug <b>204</b> is coupled to the upper tab <b>24</b> via a keyhole slot <b>206</b>. However, in other embodiments, both tabs <b>24</b> and <b>26</b> may couple with respective locking mechanisms <b>202</b>. In one embodiment, the locking mechanism <b>202</b> may include a Kensington® lock available from Kensington Technology Group, which is located in Redwood Shores, Calif.

In some embodiments, different connecting features may be utilized in place of or in addition to the connector tabs <b>24</b> and <b>26</b>. For example, the cable management system <b>10</b> may include connection features that slide into and/or interlock with grooves or connection features of the computer <b>12</b>, or portions of the cable management system <b>10</b> may directly adhere to the computer <b>12</b>. Indeed, in some embodiments, a portion of the cable management system <b>10</b> may be integral with the computer <b>12</b>, as illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>. For example, the first side wall <b>14</b>, the upper wall <b>18</b>, the lower wall <b>20</b>, and the plurality of baffles <b>22</b> of the cable management system <b>10</b> may be integrated into a single unit (e.g., the main housing <b>102</b>) that extends directly from a chassis <b>28</b> of the computer <b>12</b>. The second side wall <b>16</b> may operate as a cover (e.g., the access cover <b>104</b>) that is configured to removably couple with the main housing <b>102</b> extending from the computer <b>12</b>. In other words, the second side wall <b>16</b> may be configured to attach to the other cable management system features to form a protective enclosure (i.e., the cable management system <b>10</b>), and detach from the other cable management system features to enable access to contents of the cable management system <b>10</b>.

In accordance with present embodiments, a user may remove the cover <b>104</b> of the cable management system <b>10</b> and route cables <b>402</b> through openings <b>404</b> formed in the cable management system <b>10</b> by the positioning of the baffles <b>22</b> with respect to the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> and/or the upper and lower walls <b>18</b> and <b>20</b>. In other words, as illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, the cables <b>402</b> may be inserted into the cable management system <b>10</b> in an access direction <b>403</b> when the cable management system is in an open configuration. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a perspective view of the cable management system <b>10</b> with the cover <b>104</b> removed and with the various cables <b>402</b> routed over the baffles <b>22</b> and with the associated cable connectors <b>406</b> stored in a cavity <b>408</b> defined within the cable management system <b>10</b>. In the illustrated embodiment, the depth of the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> (i.e., the length of the sidewalls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> from the farthest point away from the computer <b>12</b> to the point adjacent the computer <b>12</b>) and the placement of the baffles <b>22</b> correspond to the size and arrangement of cables <b>402</b> within the cable management system <b>10</b>. Likewise, the depth of the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> and the placement of the baffles <b>22</b> correspond to the position of cable connectors <b>406</b> on the computer <b>12</b>. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the cable management system <b>10</b> is deep enough to house the connectors <b>406</b> when coupled to the computer <b>12</b> and shallow enough to resist disconnection of the connectors <b>406</b> from the computer <b>12</b> by biasing the connectors <b>406</b> and/or the associated cables <b>402</b> toward the computer <b>12</b> with the baffles <b>22</b>. In addition to providing a secure coupling, this limiting of the size of the cable management system <b>10</b> to the size required to sufficiently accommodate the connectors <b>406</b> conserves space. Thus, the cable management system <b>10</b> may be utilized with small electronic devices, such as thin clients.

As illustrated by <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>, the baffles <b>22</b> include a face portion <b>502</b> and a guide portion <b>504</b> that are arranged with respect to each other such that each of the baffles <b>22</b> has a cross-section that is L-shaped. An angle <b>506</b> formed between the face portion <b>502</b> and the guide portion <b>504</b> may vary depending on application. For example, sides <b>508</b> of the face portion <b>502</b> may be substantially parallel with a length <b>510</b> of the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b>. The guide portion <b>504</b> may slope downward or upward from a first side <b>512</b> of the guide portion <b>504</b> nearest the computer <b>12</b> to a second side <b>514</b> of the guide portion <b>504</b> adjacent the face portion <b>502</b>. The angle <b>506</b> of the guide portion <b>504</b> with respect to the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> and/or the face portion <b>502</b> may serve to dress the cables <b>402</b> in a certain direction and/or restrict access to the contents of the cavity <b>408</b> formed by the cable management system <b>10</b>. For example, the guide portion <b>504</b> may guide the cables <b>402</b> downward as they exit the cable management system <b>10</b> to improve aesthetics and prevent movement of the cables <b>402</b> by biasing them against one another and the baffles <b>22</b>. In another example, the guide portion <b>504</b> may be angled such that a connector or a memory device is hindered from connecting to the computer <b>12</b>.

The cable management system <b>10</b> may block insertion or movement of connectors with respect to the computer <b>12</b> in a connection direction <b>515</b>. In the illustrated embodiment of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> a memory device <b>516</b> (e.g., a flash memory) is being guided away from coupling to one of a number of computer ports <b>518</b> (e.g., a USB port) disposed in the cavity <b>408</b> of the cable management system <b>10</b>. Indeed, as the memory device <b>516</b> is inserted through the opening <b>404</b> formed by the baffles <b>22</b> in the cable management system <b>10</b>, the guide portion <b>504</b> forces the memory device <b>516</b> away from the location of the corresponding port <b>518</b>. Further, the face portion <b>502</b> prevents direct access. These features of the cable management system <b>10</b> may prevent unauthorized users from accessing information stored on the computer <b>12</b> via the ports <b>518</b> when the cable management system <b>10</b> is secured (e.g., closed, sealed and/or locked), while enabling access to cables <b>402</b> that are put in place by a user before securing the cable management system <b>10</b>. In some embodiments, the angle <b>506</b> may be adjustable to allow users to accommodate different cable arrangements and so forth. For example, an authorized user may change the angle <b>506</b> by repositioning the face portion <b>502</b> or the guide portion <b>504</b>. In the illustrated embodiment, the face portion <b>502</b> is integral with the guide portion <b>504</b>. However, in some embodiments the face portion <b>502</b> and the guide portion <b>504</b> are separate pieces.

As set forth above, the baffles <b>22</b> may be arranged to interfere with the cables <b>402</b> and cable connectors <b>406</b> to resist movement and disconnection of the cables from the computer <b>12</b>. In some embodiments, as illustrated by <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref>, the baffles <b>22</b> may be positionally adjustable. Accordingly, a user may simply arrange the baffles <b>22</b> along the cable management system <b>10</b> in various positions as desired to correspond to a particular arrangement of cables <b>402</b> and ports <b>518</b> in a computer system. For example, in the illustrated embodiment of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref>, the baffles <b>22</b> include a coupling feature <b>602</b> (e.g., a tab) that facilitates connection to the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b> with any of various coupling features <b>506</b> (e.g., a receptacle) disposed along the side walls <b>14</b> and <b>16</b>.